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In 1969, Songwriter Sherman Kelly was visiting tropical St. Croix in the Virgin Islands, when he was attacked and viciously beaten by a gang that later killed some American tourists. For Kelly and others, it was a horrifying experience—and that's an understatement!
While recuperating, he started writing a song that envisioned an alternate reality, one of peace, joy and celebration. The result was “Dancing in the Moonlight,” and when he recovered, he went into the studio and recorded it with his band, Boffalongo.
It didn't chart anywhere...but not only was it therapeutic for Kelly, it started a string of cover versions that eventually yielded 3 separate hits!
The first cover was VERY popular in North America, with one-hit wonder King Harvest dancing it up to #5 in Canada and #13 in the US in 1973—several months AFTER the band had broken up!
Twenty-seven years later, in 2000, the British group Toploader recorded a version that charted in Australia and 12 European countries, but NOT in the US or Canada.
Then, in 2018, Swedish producer Jubel released a version that charted all over Eastern Europe, in places like Slovenia and the Czech Republic—places I didn't even know HAD charts. :-) Once again, it didn't chart in the US or Canada.
Other artists who covered the song included Johnny Rivers, Orleans, Jack Wagner...and Liza Minnelli!
“Dancing in the Moonlight” is so cheerful and upbeat, (especially since it came as a result of a terrible experience), I think it DESERVES to be called a worldwide “Great Song of the '70s—the '00s and the '10s as well!
King Harvest (1973):
Toploader (2000):
Jubel (2018):
And you've gotta hear Liza to believe it!
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